About Andrew Shaw
ABOUT
Who am I?
That’s a good question…I will let you know as soon as I have found out.
If you want some labels, I am a father, ex-husband, friend, son, entrepreneur, sport lover, contrarian thinker, speaker, coach, business owner and self-crowned comedian – If the book does well, I will keep that label. Read more…
I am me. Trying, day by day, to show up as the best version I can; and going to sleep better for the experience. Maximising every minute of life. Imperfectly perfect, vulnerable, living and speaking my truth about the things that matter to me.
Background
I grew up in a comfortable working class (according to my mum) family in Yorkshire. As assumed, I did a ‘proper’ degree at Uni in 1999 (none of that new-fangled computer shit) which, I never intended to use (more middle class than working class Mum!).
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My first job was secured through the old boy network (very working class – not!), and I was bumbling through life. My uncle died of cancer and I went off to travel the world and find myself. Unfortunately, I found a lot, but the wine dulled my memory. Shackles not totally broken, I slipped back into ‘pleasing society’. Got a job, a house, and a steady girlfriend – as it turned out, none of which “I” wanted.
I spent the last 20 years, wondering why life was so easy but felt so unfulfilled, sabotaging my successes, and shaking the “etch-a-sketch” in hard re-start after hard re-start. Don’t get me wrong, I have plenty of amazing ‘unconscious successes’ from that time and don’t regret a single minute of it but I knew there was more to life.
I am now living that more… Welcome to the journey.
Values
I am trying to live my life in accordance with the following key values:
- Speaking my Truth
- Thinking for myself
- Living a life that I love
- Doing the things that I am passionate about
- Facilitating positive change in the World
Purpose of the blog
I want to document my journey and allow YOU to share it with me.
Hopefully create some patterns of thought, that inspire YOU to be the change YOU want to see in the world. It’s not all serios though, hopefully, I can make you laugh out loud along the way.
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It’s a platform to grow and engage with a community of people, not who think the same way, but who think for themselves. I hope to promote discussion and debate as this is the only way the world can repair itself from the divisiveness that currently pervades.
Who knows, maybe we can create some leaders!
Why I wrote “MY Road Less Travelled”
The stories are hilarious! If that’s not enough…
…. I talked about writing this book even before the trip had concluded and have probably thought about writing it every year since. Read more…
The conditioned version of me talked my true self out of it. No-one will read it, you can’t make money from a book, it’s too controversial, you are not funny, you got a C at GCSE English. These were things others told me and I also told myself.
After 20 years of that narrative, I had had enough…
So, in line with living my best life and following my passions, I started writing. I didn’t tell a soul. I wrote 6 chapters and sent it to some friends who I knew would give me honest and direct feedback.
Before they had read it and sent the feedback, I was up to 20 chapters. I LOVE THE PROCESS of writing.
My new narrative was – It doesn’t matter who reads, I don’t care if I make money, spell check and an editor negate the need for a GCSE and as it turns out I can tell a funny …don’t believe me? Buy the book (hyperlink).
This book is me. Living my best life as a Twenty-year-old. Thinking for myself. Free to roam, explore, and experience. Devoid of social expectations, trusting and responsible for myself, I spent 2002 learning about life, other people, and culture and most vitally, myself.
This is my memoir. Speaking my truth, without any fear of the outcome. I absolutely love it. It’s hilarious, truthful, blunt, shocking, cringeworthy, exciting, and emotional. It’s my TRUTH. I hope you love it as much as me.
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